First Fire Response

I thought I should tell the story of the very first fire call that I ever responded to. I joined the fire dept in the summer of 1984. Because of insurance, etc I could not respond until after the 1st of July when the insurance would kick in.

Fortunately this was “fireworks” season. Fireworks were and are illegal in California. I don’t know how the law reads today but then it read something like “if it explodes, leaves the ground or flies through the air, it is illegal”. Well, we had an Indian reservation next door to the city limits and the sale of this contraband went forward without a hiccup.

On the 2nd of July 1984, my pager went off, “Attention Bishop Volunteers, Attention Bishop Volunteers, we have a report of a tree on fire on the 1500 block of Lazy A Drive, please respond.”

I was working in my retail store The Phone Booth at the time and before the firehouse siren sounded I was out the door and making my way through the back door of Bishop Rexall Drugstore. This would give me access to Main Street and a clear shot through the parking lot of Joseph’s Bi-Rite Market directly to the side entrance of the firehouse. As I ran the final 50 yards or so, I already had my door keys in hand.

As I entered the firehouse I could see that Engine 3 was waiting for a full compliment of firefighters to show so I kicked off my shoes and worked my way into my ‘turnouts”. Turnouts were assigned to each person so that we could jump in them, pull the pants up, buckle them and then slide under the red suspenders. I put on my turnout coat and grabbed my helmet. It had “Perkins” stenciled on the back and I couldn’t wait to put it on.

By the time I reached Engine 3 the cab was full and there was only one man on the tailboard so I joined him. Back then we could actually ride the tailboard on the back of the truck, strapped in and safe, but riding on the back of the Engine. That was the most fun, unless it was raining or snowing. This particular day was warm and we hit the siren and turned east on Line St towards the intersection of Line & Main St. Turning north we picked up our speed until we were about 40 mph on Main St. Sirens and air horns blaring I was having the experience I had dreamed of since the early 60s and my trusty Schwinn Stingray.

As we round the corner near “the Y”, my tailboard partner, Mike Holland turn to me and said. “Hey Steve, I know you’re having the time of your life, but you’ve gotta wipe that smile off your face. I’m not sure the locals want their firemen smiling that much when something is burning.”

Well, I wiped it off, but I must say I enjoyed that response and each one after that. There was an unofficial motto that we had in the fire service. It went something like this, “We don’t want your house to catch fire, because that would be a tragedy, but if it does….I’m gonna enjoy trying to put it out.”